Electrophysiological responses of Batocera horsfieldi (Hope) adults to plant volatiles

The olfactory stimuli from the maturation feeding-plant, Rosa multiflora Thunb., and larval-host plant, Populus deltoides, of the longhorned beetle, Batocera horsfieldi (Hope), were investigated by using TCT-GC/MS (Thermal desorption and cold trap, and GC/MS) and electroantennogram recordings (EAG). A total of 20 plant compounds were identified from plant headspace volatile, including aliphatic, aromatic and terpenoid compounds. Five compounds were common to both plants. Eight compounds eliciting strong EAG response were E-3-hexenyl acetate, 3-carene, 1-penten-3-ol, 3-pentanol, Z-2-penten-1-ol, hexanal and E-2-hexenal. Female and male B. horsfieldi exhibited broad overlap in their EAG responses to individual plant odour, and there was no clear pattern of difference between responses of female and male antennae to different compounds. Mating status had little effect on the EAG responses of females.